The downfalls of indecision

I am a fairly agreeable person. Perhaps too agreeable.

I realized this last weekend during a conversation, or argument rather, between a group of my closest friends about a topic that is neither relevant nor worth explaining in this article. In the heat of the dispute, the image that you should gather from this is me somewhat stuck between two sides, as the viewpoints were divided.

I could agree with one argument, but I also saw the other point of view. I couldn’t bring myself to a standpoint, so I retreated to pathetic indecision. The most defining conclusion I could muster was that this debate was based on extremes.

As an opinion writer, you’re required to pick a side. No one wants to read a column about how one side was great, but the other side brought up nice points, too. And they both made such valiant efforts! Geez, both arguments get a gold star. I can’t pick.

In most instances, this won’t fly. Much of my thoughts reach indecision, always wanting to please one side and the other, particularly when friends are involved.

The night of the argument, I could not completely choose a side, halfway claiming my point of view but not finalizing it. After thinking about it, I understood I had not only failed to make myself appear more fiery and stronger than I actually am, but I was trying to please both parties where either way, it wouldn’t have been a big deal.

The only position I gained was that of “the scaredy cat,” one I’m deemed a lot, particularly Saturday evening at the grand opening of The Owlery Restaurant. My friends prompted me to talk to someone that I only halfway knew, yet they found this person to be something of a perfect match for me. I chickened out, decided upon inaction and ate my barbecue tofu ribs in stubborn silence.

When I missed the opportunity to meet someone whom I later found to be one of the most intriguing people I’ve met at IU, what I had refrained from was making a decision solely on a selfish motive, but what I failed to see was that in making a decision somewhat selfishly, I had less to lose and more to gain.

This isn’t the part where I relate my argument with worldly, political application.

With Libya becoming something of an issue, protestors rallying outside an Islamic Circle community meeting in Orange County, and John Galliano’s rear fired from Dior, we can all see the detrimental effects of selfish action or inaction.

But in everyday decision-making, when you feel that neither extreme is worth it, go for the one that you are most selfishly inclined to. You were probably overthinking it in the first place.


E-mail: ftirado@indiana.edu